Discharged Gay vet refused re-enlistment despite lack of DADT law

As of this morning, the Department of Justice hasn’t sought a stay of the DADT injunction. We’re expecting it. The White House has been telegraphing it.

The New York Times has a great article on the history of the Log Cabin Republicans lawsuit against DADT. It was an improbable quest, but they prevailed. And, the piece quoted the named plaintiff in the case, our friend Alex Nicholson:

“We have been surprised at every stage of this,” said Alexander Nicholson, a member of the Log Cabin Republicans and a former Army intelligence specialist who was discharged because of the policy. “We thought the judge would follow every other pattern the other judges have followed: deference to the military.”…

…“The fact that she did not dismiss the case was a huge surprise,” Mr. Nicholson said. “Then she continued to surprise us.”

Then, there was this interesting development at the end of the piece. In the wake of the decision, a discharged Vet, joined by GetEQUAL, tried to re-enlist:

But with the ultimate fate of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule still unclear, some celebrations are being delayed.

With a briefcase full of commendations under his arm, Omar Lopez walked into an Austin, Tex., recruiting office Wednesday. Mr. Lopez, 29, had served nearly five years in the Navy. He was honorably discharged in 2006 for “homosexual admission,” according to documents he carried. He wanted to re-enlist.

But recruiters turned him away hastily, saying they had no knowledge of any injunction or any change in military policy.

“I like the civilian world, but I miss it,” Mr. Lopez said of the military, as he arrived with a worker for Get Equal, a gay rights advocacy group. “I feel lost without it.”

Joe Sudbay
On October 27, 2010, Joe was one of five bloggers who interviewed President Obama. Joe is a DC-based political consultant with over twenty-five years of experience at both the state and federal level. Joe has managed political operations and legislative efforts for both candidates and issues-based organizations. For seven years, he was the Director of State Legislation at Handgun Control, Inc. He served as that organization's first Political Director during the 2000 cycle. Joe is a graduate of the University of Maine School of Law. In addition, he has a Masters in Public Administration from Lehigh University and received his B.A. from the University of New Hampshire. Joe also has a fun dog, Petey, a worthy successor to Boomer, who got Joe through eight years of Bush and Cheney. Joe likes to think he is a world class athlete having finished the 2005 Chicago Marathon in the time of 4:10. He has completed six other marathons as well -- and is still determined to break the four hour mark.